


Flower Language

by YumeHanabi



Series: Blue Shards [4]
Category: Tales of Xillia
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-10
Updated: 2014-11-10
Packaged: 2018-02-24 21:41:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2597408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YumeHanabi/pseuds/YumeHanabi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Flowers always faithfully illustrate his feelings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Flower Language

His mother has a garden in the little court outside of her room. In it she raises a variety of flowers. He likes to look at it from the window, especially in winter. There are colors everywhere.

One day she proposes a deal: she will tell him about the flowers, and he will draw them for her. He likes the flowers, he likes drawing, he likes knowledge. Above all, he loves his mother. They intertwine their little fingers to make a pact. The first flower she presents him is a pink carnation. She tells him it has a meaning.

_Maternal love._

He hugs her tightly.

*

One day his mother breaks their promise. She won’t tell him about flowers anymore. She is dead. While sorting through her belongings, he finds a book about flowers. He keeps it as a memento, deciding to commit its contents to memory. She may no longer be with him anymore, but he will uphold his part of the deal.

He covers her grave with white chrysanthemums.

_Grief._

“Rest in peace, Mother.”

Tears are streaming down his face.

*

He throws everything he has in the battle against his enemy. On his sword’s hilt, he attaches a fire lily.

_Revenge._

But the lily eventually withers.

*

One day, he surrenders. He joins his enemy. For his clan. For his country.

His commander is a man who will one day be king. His ideals are strong, and his will stronger. He will be a good king.

On the road, he finds a daffodil. At night, he sneaks to his commander’s tent and attaches it to a stake.

_Respect._

Perhaps he was never truly his enemy.

*

The day before every battle, he looks for four-leaf clovers. He gives one to his best friend, and lays one at the entrance of his commander’s tent.

_Good luck._

May we win this battle.

*

One day, his commander proposes a deal. He will use his genius to help him win the war. In exchange, he will be his right hand, answering to none but him. He finds a new purpose in life. He also gets a new name, a name heavy with symbolism.

To seal their pact, he offers him a flower, a yellow zinnia.

_Loyalty._

His commander raises his eyebrows. The meaning is lost on him, but he does not care.

*

He realizes clovers are naive. It is not luck they need, it is resolve and bravery.

So he replaces them with gladioli. When they win, he adds a nasturtium.

_Bravery in battle. Conquest and victory._

They _will_ prevail.

*

Together, they are unstoppable. They spend more and more time together now, and he realizes he likes his commander’s company. They plan strategies, they talk, they play. Sometimes they go on reckless quests. It reminds him of his childhood.

One day, he picks a jasmine and puts it in a vase on his commander’s desk.

_Friendship._

He will never say the word aloud.

*

Sometimes, he makes mistakes, and things do not go as planned.

One day, many lives are lost because of him. Gaius is angry at him, and for a moment he thinks it is over.

He makes a flower crown to place on the memorial of that battle. Purple hyacinths and white chrysanthemums, for their men, but also for those of the opposite side. They were all brave soldiers.

_I’m sorry. Rest in peace._

His mistakes are forgiven, and slowly life goes back to normal.

Their next victory is so great that history forgets about their previous battle. Not him, though. He will make sure it never happens again.

*

He is always with Gaius now, even in his dreams.

One night, he thinks about him when he touches himself. He tells himself it was just a coincidence, but it happens again and after a few times he understands what it means.

Gaius’ desk is now home to a cactus flower.

_I lust for you._

The move is risky but by now he knows Gaius will not understand. He is both sad and relieved at this thought.

*

The months that follow are spent picking other flowers to his whims and fancy. He cannot express his feelings aloud, so he lets them out through the little vase lying next to the cactus on the desk.

Gardenias, mistletoe, yellow tulips, orchids, pink camellias, red roses.

_I like you. Please kiss me. I know this is hopeless. Make love to me. I am longing for you. I love you._

The maids believe Gaius has a secret admirer. Gaius believes he just likes decorating his desk.

*

Gaius does not understand the flowers, but he sees the affection in his eyes.

One day, he pulls him close to kiss him.

His heart beats fast and he cannot stop smiling when he adds an ambrosia to the vase.

_Our feelings are mutual._

After that he stops picking flowers. He will use his voice now.

*

Time passes and they fulfill their promise. Gaius is king now, and he is his right hand. Their relationship has grown beyond that, and they make a new pact. To stay together always. To never stray from their path, too.

They make their oath with a sopheria.

_The flower of promises._

This time he tells him what it means.

*

One day he wakes up in a bed in a white room. He has a terrible headache and his vision is blurry. The Booster experiment was a success, but the toll on his body is high. Keeping control is a struggle and he needs a lot of rest.

On the table he sees a vase with a large bouquet. The nurse tells him Gaius brought it, but that he left a little before he woke up.

Salvias. Purple hyacinths. Bluebells.

_Get well soon. I’m sorry. Thank you._

He takes a hyacinth from the vase and tells the nurse to send it to the king.

*

He knows the end is near. He was ordered to stay behind, but he will go nonetheless. He holds no illusion as to the result of the battle he will fight, but he does not back down. His hands tremble when he takes his sword. He knows it is foolish, but he will not forgive himself if he hides in the castle while Gaius is fighting his most decisive battle. He will make one last stand. For his king. For his love.

Before he leaves, he visits the king’s bedroom. He pauses to take in all the memories that are evoked by this familiar place. Then he gently lays a little blue flower on his bed. A myosotis.

_Forget-me-not._

When he turns back his hands are steady.


End file.
